What changes will occur in the Irish Retail Landscape by 2023?
What global trends will take hold?
How will Irish shoppers behave?

These were the key propositions addressed at the 5th ECR Ireland Leaders Congress

"Irish Retail Landscape 2023"
The ECR Leaders Congress considered the technology, retail operations, eating habits, path to purchase & shopper behaviour etc. that will be in place in Ireland in 5 years time.

What CX will shoppers demand by 2023? Understanding shopper behaviour, consumer insights & CX will never go out of fashion, albeit over the next 5 years in Ireland, more focus will be required to keep on top as millennials, Gen Z and digital transformation get a grip. Presentations from Shopper Intelligence, Goosebump, V360° & Bewleys considered the changes we can expect while Zana Busby focussed on why consumer behaviour is so difficult to predict.

How will Retail Tech change the way we shop?And will this change be evident in Ireland within 5 years?
The ECR Leaders Congress featured retail tech significantly with insights delivered by IBM, Buymie, Pointy, PwC & Musgrave. A diverse lineup from differing points in the value chain and all grappling with predicting the scale & effect of digital transformation. Understanding these views is essential for future planning.

Welcoming Black Friday to the Christmas PartyThe Congress took place on Black Friday and featured a presentation addressing the Black Friday phenomenon. The report from PwC's research into Irish shopper's attitudes to Black Friday and Christmas shopping was ciculated, online and in-store exploring what the future may hold for brands and retailers aiming to satisfy consumers who seek an integrated shopping experience.

Check out the Speakers their presentations below
A line up of physical & online retailers, forecourts, manufacturers, food experts, restaurateurs, consultants and retail technology experts giving their expert views.

The ECR Leaders Congress assembles senior experts to keep Irish senior executives abreast of actual global advancements to consider the domestic opportunities & challenges. It is a major event in the Irish food & grocery calendar attended by CEOs, senior executives and heads of function from Irish retailers, suppliers & service providers.

Hear the experts + Question the Panel + Plan for the future

Key Note Speech

Consumer behaviour today is becoming increasingly difficult to predict. Why do we sometimes abandon a purchase for no apparent reason? Why do we impulse buy? And what makes online shopping so compelling?
To answer these questions and more, we need to look inside our minds and understand that we are all human; unpredictable, emotional, wonderfully human.
Zana Busby will guide us through this complex topic and in doing so will uncover some of the mysteries of our brains.

Presentations

How does the Irish shopper behave and what are the key trends to watch out for over the next five years. Colm will address this by referring to the Shopper Intelligence Tracking system in Ireland & abroad to give us an understanding of real shopper behaviour today and predict it in the future.

Technology may be the answer, but what's the question? Sarah Love will talk about putting the Customer's needs at the core of our plans for retail growth and discuss how we can embrace both Big Data and Technology to offering the very best in CX.

Grace will present the results from PwC's research into Irish shopper's attitudes to Black Friday and Christmas shopping, online and in-store. Grace will explore what the future may hold for brands and retailers aiming to satisfy consumers who seek an integrated shopping experience.

How Digital Retail is Changing Physical Retail
Mark Cummins, CEO, Pointy
Digital retail is changing how brick-and-mortar retailers operate. From adopting digital retail techniques, to simultaneously becoming more "analog" to play to their strengths, this is a moment of huge change for retailers. Mark will share his experience from running Pointy, a tech company which now powers the digital presence and marketing automation of 1% of all US retailers, and 15% of retailers in Dublin, giving them a unique perspective on current market trends

In the age of Digital Disruption the old Retail IT models don't work. Retail must embrace the lessons of high tech to ensure organisations can serve the new consumer dynamic. Steve will talk to changes Musgrave are making to ensure it stays relevant in a rapidly changing landscape.

Food's journey from farm to table involves numerous transactions between different people and companies. What if we could simplify this process, enabling transactions to be shared securely and efficiently among every actor in the supply chain?
Learn how IBM's Food Trust™ uses blockchain technology to create unprecedented visibility and accountability in the food supply chain. This is the only network of its kind, connecting growers, processors, distributors, and retailers through a permissioned, permanent and shared record of food system data.

The Platformification of Grocery
Devan Hughes, CEO & Co-Founder, Buymie
Buymie is the 1st independent E-commerce Platform in Europe to launch a major discount retailer online. As on-Demand services are continuing to overhaul industry & reset customer expectations. Devan will lift the hood on macro trends that will place increased pressure on the grocery retail market in the coming years and will share insights on how platform economics will forge new paths for retailers in the fight against the existential threat of a Trillion Dollar Platform.

Key Trends Impacting the Irish Coffee Market in 2018/2019
Jason Doyle, MD, Bewleys
While current industry performance remains strong, the longer term outlook for foodservice should be viewed more cautiously. Industry participants that are looking to drive incremental growth through coffee sales should be aware of the eight key trends that are impacting the coffee market in ROI.